One of my favorite parts of each day is spending time with the women's children in their homes. I always love being with children, but these Arabic kids have found a special place in my heart. At one Yemeni home, Maria works with Alyan, Anna works with Haraz, and I work with the children. Alyan and Haraz have four kids. Some days I help the kids practice spelling, writing, and reading, but other days (my favorite days!) we just play.

One day, I asked them to look up a Yemeni song on YouTube and teach me to dance. As they showed me how they danced at weddings, Samara and Roobi belly-laughed and Kasool tried to suppress her giggles at my dancing attempts. Roobi dressed up in a beautiful little pink dress, complete with a "veil", and pretended to be the bride. The girls took my hand and taught me the Yemeni version of line dancing.

At first, I was a little embarrassed at my white American attempt at dancing compared to their naturally beautiful, Eastern dancing. But I realized my skill isn't what really matters. What matters most is that my little friends see the love Isa has for them through the stories I tell them, the kindness I show to them...and my willingness to look silly by trying to dance like them.

Isa left His home in heaven and entered into our lives on earth so He could show His love for us and restore our relationship with Him. God's plan for reaching the lost hasn't changed. We can't show the great love of Isa by putting up barriers between "us" and "them."

The Lord still calls us to leave our homes, our culture, and our way of life and enter into the lives and culture of those who don't yet know Him...and sometimes the best way to do that is through making a fool of yourself by dancing!

Thursday, July 17, 2014

In the time that we have been in Nashville, we've met people from Burma, Iraq, Thailand, Nepal, Lebanon, Sudan, Somalia, Congo, Egypt, Cuba, Ethiopia, and several other countries. We've been surrounded by numerous different languages, cultures, and of course beliefs. We've played with these amazing people, ate with them, sang and danced with them, prayed with them, and just listened to their stories. These past few weeks have opened my eyes to so much...to the realization that material things are really so unimportant, that smiling and laughing are universal, and that the lostness of this world is so real. However, meeting and worshipping with other refugee believers has been the greatest and most eye-opening experience of all.

Praying together with a Cuban family, worshiping at a Burmese Bible study, and hearing refugee youth tell how they want to be missionaries, has filled my heart with so much joy. Yes, there is a lot of work to be done here in Nashville with so much pain and confusion, and often helpless and lostness among the refugee population.

My heart is broken for the people here who have experienced so much pain without the hope of Christ, but this also makes me want to share my joy in Jesus with them even more. On the other hand, there ARE people here who get it...who, after everything they've been through, are still trusting in the Lord and praising Him. We even got the opportunity to hear an international choir comprised of the refugee kids we've met. I just know that's what Heaven will be like one day, where people from every nation will come together to praise our Savior, and I can't wait!

This week on the Ulot River we faced rejection & joyful reception. We’ve
been unwanted by same & graciously hosted by others. We’ve felt heartache
& elation, apathy & compassion.

Each night we circled up & came before the Lord together. Some
nights our cries were from a dark place as we were so aware of being in the
throes of spiritual warfare. Some nights they came from hearts made light by
awe & gratefulness toward God, for showing Himself to us in powerful ways.

LOWS:

Bring unwelcomed by the village authority, displaced & moved
twice

Facing many closed doors, many “I’m busy’s”, many who think that to
know of God is to know God and are content to remain stuck in their tradition.

Various team members struggling with homesickness or discouragement

HIGHS:

Our new friend & sister in Christ who received the Gospel
with joy and went that same day to share with her sisters & brother. She
was baptized that same week.

Discipling other new friends and believers.

God revealing Himself to various team members & our shared joy
& edification.

People of peace

Relief from the heat & the routine each afternoon by swimming with
the kids at high tide

Pray as we go into these last two weeks of the summer, that our eyes
would stay fixed on Jesus, the founder & perfecter of our faith, who for
the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is
seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Heb. 12:2)

Pray that we would behold Him, God over mountains and valleys alike,
and that He would enable us to perservere.

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

This morning we woke up to a true torrential downpour. Our clothes out on
the line were soaked, some had even blown away! There was rain coming through
the windows, and no refuge from the cold, damp wind. We did our best to keep
our belongings dry, but most of our efforts were in vain.

As our attention turned from our immediate need of keeping out the rain
to the anticipated arrival of Kuya J, Ate, W and the Alabama Medical Clinic
team, we began to work that none of the villagers would be willing to risk the
rain to see the doctors.“God is sovereign,”
someone said in passing.

It struck me then how often I use that phrase without truly
acknowledging my helpless estate. In all my efforts to keep dry, I can’t stop
the rain. We hurry about making plans to ensure we accomplish God’s will, all
the while failing to see that God will accomplish His will despite our plans.
But how great is our God that He has given us access to Himself- the one who
commands the dawn to take its place, the one who calls the stars by name, the
only one who the winds and the waves obey! We need only to ask and He has
promised that we will receive!

We speak so often of God’s power in our future troubles- “No matter
what lied ahead, God is sovereign!” But how often do we look around while the
rain pours and acknowledge that we have no ability to close the flood gates?
True recognition of God’s complete and present sovereignty should humble us to
a place of total submission and prayer. But what a joy is ours that we are
never along in the storm because the One how pours out the rain was Himself
poured out for us and in return asks only that we abide in Him. God is truly
sovereign but in His sovereignty He longs for us to bring all of our requests
before Him and invites us to play a role in His redemption story even though we
are the true “Waray Waray” the nothing of nothings… the very least of these.
How great is our Sovereign Lord!